Charli XCX releases new single ‘House’ featuring John Cale of The Velvet Underground

Charli XCX has unveiled her powerful new single ‘House’, featuring John Cale of The Velvet Underground. Directed by Mitch Ryan, the cinematic video sets the tone for a new creative chapter in Charli’s career. The song marks the first release from her forthcoming album, written for Emerald Fennell’s highly anticipated adaptation of Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

As the first glimpse into the project, ‘House’ immerses listeners in a world of passion and raw emotion. Blending Charli’s distinctive electronic sensibility with Cale’s haunting spoken word, the track captures the duality of beauty and violence that defines both the song and Fennell’s vision. The collaboration arose from a long-held fascination with Cale’s creative philosophy, particularly his description of The Velvet Underground’s music as “elegant and brutal”—a phrase that became a guiding principle for Charli throughout the recording process.

Reflecting on the project, Charli XCX shared: “Emerald called me last Christmas about writing a song for Wuthering Heights. When I think of the story, I think of passion, pain, and England-mud, cold, and determination. ‘Elegant and brutal’ kept echoing in my mind. John’s voice embodies exactly that, and working with him on this was an honor.”

The release follows Charli’s successful Brat era and signals yet another reinvention for the boundary-pushing artist. Looking ahead, she’s set to star in A24’s The Moment—her first project under her studio365 venture—alongside a slate of upcoming films, including Daniel Goldhaber’s Faces of Death and Greg Araki’s I Want Your Sex.

Watch ‘House’ featuring John Cale now on YouTube.